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Volunteer lock keepers needed for iconic waterway




A first for Kennet and Avon Canal in Newbury

THE charity that looks after the Kennet and Avon Canal is searching for local keeper volunteers to take-up the iconic waterway role – a first in Newbury.

The Canal & River Trust is searching for volunteers at Newbury Lock, for the first time, according to the trust, to help boaters through, as well as welcoming visitors and giving a hand to the trust’s teams that maintain the canal.

A spokesperson for the trust, Maeve Thompson, said boaters travelling along stretches of the canal in Newbury had previously opened the lock gates themselves.

“One person usually jumps out and lets the boat through while the other navigates the gates,” said Ms Thompson.

She added having a lock keeper would be helpful and provide a “friendly face”.

The volunteers will help to keep the age-old tradition alive along the canal, where lock keepers have been part of waterway life for hundreds of years.

Steve Manzi, volunteer development coordinator at the Canal & River Trust, said: “We have volunteer lock keepers working on other stretches of the Kennet and Avon Canal, and it would be amazing to be able to bring this iconic role back to Berkshire.

“The Kennet and Avon Canal is perhaps more popular now than in any time in living memory, with people not only boating but cycling, walking and fishing as well.

“The lock keeper role is really to be the welcoming face of the canal, and help out anyone who might need it.

“If you’ve got a bit of spare time and are interested in working outdoors, then this is a great opportunity, and I’d encourage people to get in touch.”

The Canal & River Trust cares for 1,583 locks and there are approximately 3.8 million ‘lockings’ (boat passages through locks) each year.

More than 32,000 boats now call the waterways home; a figure higher than at the height of the Industrial Revolution.

Full training is provided and people of all ages and experiences are encouraged to apply.

Volunteer lock keepers work on a shift basis throughout the year, with busier periods expected between April to September.

To find out more about becoming a volunteer lock keeper visit: www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/volunteer.



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